This has come up now in several threads, and it seems worth posting directly.

There is a direct link between our actions and gun deaths in America.

The main contributor to the NRA today is gun corporations -- the CEOs and companies and investors that profit from gun and ammo sales.[1] For them, this is standard corporate marketing. They want to sell more guns, to inflate their profits. So they spend money out of their marketing budget to pro-gun groups like the NRA, who advocate for more guns in America, for no restrictions on any gun, and in the case of the NRA: advocate for violence with their propaganda (see below video [2]).

This is sad to hear and difficult to say, because I know a good fraction of gun owners are law-abiding hunters and only a small fraction are gun-crazy, tactical-culture, mostly-right-wing identity politics-warriors that are propagandized to hate most Americans.

But even though it's difficult, it's the truth.

If you buy guns and ammo today, you are subsidizing gun violence in America. Some of the profits from your purchases are going to the NRA, which is supporting gun violence. And thus your money is supporting kids getting killed in schools, and supporting Americans getting killed by handguns in American cities. It's not a huge sin, perhaps, because costs are diffused over so many gun purchasers. But I personally do not buy anything gun-related, and if I did I'd want to do a LOT of anti-NRA gun-control advocacy to cleanse my soul.

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[1] Evidence the NRA is heavily funded by gun profits, and controlled by gun companies who only want to sell more guns -- which is the main factor contributing to gun deaths in America.

One of the most interesting aspects of all is how an association for sportsmen became the prime defenders of assault weaponry.

In its early days, the National Rifle Association was a grassroots social club that prided itself on independence from corporate influence.

While that is still part of the organization's core function, today less than half of the NRA's revenues come from program fees and membership dues.

The bulk of the group's money now comes in the form of contributions, grants, royalty income, and advertising, much of it originating from gun industry sources.

Since 2005, the gun industry and its corporate allies have given between $20 million and $52.6 million to it through the NRA Ring of Freedom sponsor program. Donors include firearm companies like Midway USA, Springfield Armory Inc, Pierce Bullet Seal Target Systems, and Beretta USA Corporation. Other supporters from the gun industry include Cabala's, Sturm Rugar & Co, and Smith & Wesson.

The NRA also made $20.9 million ó about 10 percent of its revenue ó from selling advertising to industry companies marketing products in its many publications in 2010, according to the IRS Form 990.

Additionally, some companies donate portions of sales directly to the NRA. Crimson Trace, which makes laser sights, donates 10 percent of each sale to the NRA. Taurus buys an NRA membership for everyone who buys one of their guns. Sturm Rugar gives $1 to the NRA for each gun sold, which amounts to millions. The NRA's revenues are intrinsically linked to the success of the gun business.

The NRA Foundation also collects hundreds of thousands of dollars from the industry, which it then gives to local-level organizations for training and equipment purchases.

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[2] NRA video; if this were a foreign country we'd call this an incitement to violence.

4. All gun owners are up to their elbows in blood

5. I think many gun owners are reasonable

Some are the tactical, Momís-basement crazies.

But many gun owners are responsible and perhaps just havenít realized yet what the NRA IS. I hope this kind of post will gently encourage them to take back the nra from corporate control. Itís hurting America.